Two community appeals in Cabo Roig are calling on residents and businesses to lend a helping hand. Organisers of the popular St Patrick’s Day Parade are raising funds for the 2027 celebrations, while a local cafe is collecting food donations to help feed homeless cats in the area.

Donations needed for Cabo Roig’s 2027 St Patrick’s Day Parade

Organisers of Cabo Roig’s popular St Patrick’s Day Parade are asking residents and businesses to help fund the 2027 celebrations.

The annual event attracts around 25,000 spectators, filling the streets with music, colourful costumes and entertainment as the Costa Blanca celebrates Ireland’s national day.

But putting on a parade of this size doesn’t come cheap.

Behind the celebrations is a small committee of volunteers who spend months planning the event, arranging entertainment and raising the money needed to make it happen.

With no official funding or financial support, the organisers depend on donations from local businesses and the community.

They have now launched a Friends of the Parade fundraising appeal, inviting supporters to contribute whatever they can afford.

Donations of €5, €10, €20 or more are welcome, with every contribution helping towards the cost of next year’s parade.

There is no obligation to donate, and the parade will remain an event for everyone to enjoy.

Anyone wishing to support the appeal can make a donation online at whydonate.com.

Cabo Roig cafe collects food for homeless cats

Homeless cats in Cabo Roig need a helping hand, and a local cafe is making it easier for residents to keep their food bowls filled.

PAMPA food & coffee has teamed up with Asociacion Miauuu Gatos to collect food donations for stray and abandoned cats in the area.

The charity is particularly short of wet cat food, although donations of other cat food are also welcome.

Anyone wanting to help can drop off tins or pouches at PAMPA food & coffee, Calle El Torreon 23, Cabo Roig.

There is no collection deadline, with donations being accepted on an ongoing basis.

Asociacion Miauuu Gatos helps cats living without homes, including animals that depend on volunteers for regular feeding and care.

Keeping these cats fed is a continuing expense, especially when volunteers are looking after several animals or colonies rather than just one or two pets.

Wet food is particularly useful because it provides both nutrition and moisture, helping cats stay hydrated, especially those that struggle to find reliable sources of water.

You don’t need to buy a large quantity to contribute. Even a single tin or pouch can be added to the collection.

Orihuela will mark the 250th anniversary of its Sanctuary with a special religious procession through the historic city centre on Sunday, November 15. The Virgen de Monserrate, Orihuela’s patron saint, will be carried through the streets before a commemorative Mass, bringing together centuries of local tradition in a celebration open to residents and visitors.

Virgen de Monserrate procession through historic Orihuela

The Virgen de Monserrate, Orihuela’s patron saint, will be carried through the historic centre in a celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the Monserrate Sanctuary.

The procession begins at 6:00 PM from Orihuela Cathedral and will finish at the Monserrate Sanctuary, where Bishop Jose Ignacio Munilla will lead a special Mass.

The route follows Calle Mayor de Ramon y Cajal, Lopez Pozas, Santa Justa, Plaza del Carmen, Francisco Die, Santiago and Plaza de Monserrate.

Residents and visitors will have the opportunity to watch the procession as it passes through some of the city’s historic streets, accompanying the patron saint’s image on its journey back to the sanctuary.

Mayor to present special gold insignia

As part of the anniversary celebrations, Mayor Pepe Vegara will present the Virgin’s image with a gold insignia bearing the city’s coat of arms.

The presentation will form part of the commemorations recognising the sanctuary’s 250-year history and its importance to Orihuela’s religious and cultural traditions.

The procession also marks the culmination of a series of visits by the patron saint’s image to churches across Orihuela, giving residents the opportunity to see it outside its usual sanctuary setting.

These visits have brought the anniversary celebrations into different parts of the city ahead of the main procession.

Commemorative poster celebrates sanctuary’s heritage

A commemorative poster has been designed by a local artist featuring the Virgin and Child surrounded by architectural details of the sanctuary, including its distinctive black-and-white tiled floor.

The artwork brings together the religious image at the centre of the celebration with features of the building whose anniversary is being marked.

The sanctuary’s architecture and its connection to Orihuela’s patron saint provide the focus for a celebration that combines local history, faith and community participation.

Fitness, family fun and fundraising are coming together in Playa Flamenca on Saturday, November 14, when the Red Cross holds its second charity activity day in Orihuela Costa. The event promises a lively morning of exercise sessions, free children’s workshops and a charity raffle, with money raised helping vulnerable children through local Red Cross projects.

The event takes place on the Playa Flamenca promenade at Calle Los Nardos 4, with a morning of exercise sessions, children’s workshops and a charity raffle.

The second charity activity day aims to bring residents and families together for an enjoyable morning while raising awareness of the Red Cross and its work in the local community.

With activities suitable for different ages and fitness levels, the event offers an opportunity to get moving, meet other residents and support a worthwhile cause.

Fitboxing, Pilates and Zumba sessions planned

Activities begin at 9:30 AM with fitboxing, combining boxing movements with a fitness workout, followed by Pilates at 10:00 AM. Anyone joining the Pilates session should bring their own mat.

A rope-based exercise session follows at 10:30 AM, before a Zumba masterclass gets everyone moving at 11:00 AM.

The activities are open to all ages and abilities, making the event accessible to people who enjoy regular exercise as well as those who simply want to try something different.

The varied programme gives participants the chance to choose their favourite activity or enjoy several sessions throughout the morning.

Free children’s workshops and Red Cross information

For younger visitors, there will be free children’s workshops throughout the morning, offering creative activities while parents enjoy the fitness sessions.

The workshops will provide entertainment for children and help make the charity day a family-friendly occasion.

Red Cross volunteers will also be on hand at an information stand to explain more about the charity’s local work.

Visitors will have the opportunity to find out how the organisation supports people in need and learn more about the projects benefiting from community fundraising.

Charity raffle supports vulnerable children

At 12:00 PM, a charity raffle will feature prizes donated by local businesses and organisations.